Team news: Derby County duo John Brayford and Craig Bryson ruled out of Cardiff clash, Craig Forsyth and Valentin Gjokaj are handed full debuts

JOHN Brayford and Craig Bryson will miss Derby County's Championship encounter at league leaders Cardiff City tonight (7.45pm) due to injury.

Defender Brayford (hamstring) and midfielder Bryson (groin) join Jamie Ward (hamstring) on the treatment table, so manager Nigel Clough is forced to make three changes to the side that started Friday's 1-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace.

New signing Craig Forsyth goes straight into the side, on the left of midfield, following his loan move from Watford, while Albanian under-21 international Valentin Gjokaj is handed his full debut at right-back.

Meanwhile, Ben Davies is recalled, on the right of midfield, so Paul Coutts moves into the centre of the park.

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With Will Hughes (groin), Mark O'Brien (knee), James O'Connor (knee), Kieron Freeman (ankle) and Shaun Barker (knee) also sidelined through injury, Clough has only named five substitutes.

Brayford had played every minute of every game this season up to now, so skipper Richard Keogh will become the Rams' only ever-present player.

Former Derby County player of the year Tommy Smith is named in Cardiff's starting line-up, along with one-time Rams loanee Peter Whittingham.

Bluebirds boss Malky Mackay makes two changes to the side that lost 2-1 at Middlesbrough on Saturday - Ben Nugent replacing Kevin McNaughton in defence and Heidar Helguson coming in for Craig Bellamy up front.

CARDIFF CITY: Marshall, Connolly, Nugent, Turner, Taylor, Gunnarsson, Whittingham, Smith, Conway, Campbell, Helguson. Subs: Lewis (gk), McNaughton, Cowie, Kim, Noone, Mason, Gestede.

DERBY COUNTY: Legzdins, Gjokaj, Keogh, Buxton, Roberts, Davies, Coutts, Hendrick, Forsyth, Martin, Sammon. Subs: Fielding (gk), Hoganson Jacobs, Doyle, Bennett.

REFEREE: D Deadman (Cambridgeshire).